Mariposa Lily

One of my favorite wildflowers: Mariposa Lily

They start out looking like a miniature rosebud.

They open quickly after the bud first appears.

The woods is full of them this year. Usually I just enjoy them in the woods, but there are so many this year that I tried bringing some inside.

This is my second group. The first lasted a week with fresh water every day. I was very pleasantly surprised as wildflowers typically do not last long indoors.

A few raindrops on these from last night’s wonderful showers: Mariposa Lily

Back to normal

Wednesday afternoon the clouds rolled in, thunderstorms whoshed through…

…and we got back to normal temperatures. The highest temp in the current 10 day forecast is 71F. The nights are back in the 40’s.

We are enjoying being back to normal.

Too hot for us

So far we are staying a few degrees less than the forecast high, but today hit 90F about 4:30. That is about 20 degrees higher than normal and higher than Bear, Auggie and I like.

Early morning is the time to be outside and shortly after 5:00 a.m., I had sprinklers going.

Then a morning walk at 6:00 a.m. – sunrise is just after 5:30 a.m. and there is light in the sky at 4:30.

Short nights as we approach the Summer Equinox are part of the problem with hot weather now. Sunset is after 9:30 with light in the sky until nearly 11:00 p.m. There is plenty of time for things to heat up in the daytime and not so much time for cooling overnight. We started this morning at 58F.

So … yes, the behemoth A/C unit. It is to be in the low 70’s and even as cool as the upper 60’s by the weekend but we have another 3 days of 90 or near 90 so it was worth the setup.

Mid-winter I bought an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker: Not my Grandma’s pressure cooker. After using it several times and seeing how things went, I got to thinking that I would really appreciate it when it got hot. With the exception of a little steam as it is coming to pressure and a bit of residual heat when cooking is done, there is not a lot of heat generated into the kitchen. This morning, it was already getting warm when I thought about cooking some pasta for pasta salad. I dithered a bit thinking that the pasta would just be mush in the pressure cooker, but finally gave it a try: 1 part pasta, 2 parts salty water, 7 minutes and quick release. The macaroni was perfect: taste and texture. I had a refreshing pasta salad for lunch!

Afternoon outside time – everyone in the shade – too HOT!

Phillipian’s 4:13 for pete’s sake!

This first week of June 2016 was kind of awful. Maybe more accurately, as my Mama said in a supportive email to me, “senseless” as in there is no making sense of what happened – re the UCLA shooting.

I have not been on campus for fifteen years, but I have consulted for a department of UCLA since 1991 … nearly 25 years and for several years occupied a cubicle on campus. I know many and although not of the academic population, some from the department I work with were at Engineering IV on June 1 and the building housing the department I work with is on campus and so part of the lockdown.

I was glued to the online news about two hours in. Although I was relieved that things were not worse … still: A good man lost: a father/husband/son/brother/uncle – a young woman left to raise a son and daughter without their father. It is beyond heartbreaking.

And the additional fallout of fear, insecurity, young lives disrupted: the students … especially those in Engineering, but also all of the others who dealt with the unknown on that day.

What to do, how to move forward? If it seems challenging to me, removed by 1500 miles, what must it be like for those closer. And for that young family of the professor.

I’ve written blog posts in my head about this week, but this morning I thought about Phillipians 4:13 and the surrounding verses. And knowing that I’ve include those in previous challenging times, I went searching my posts. And I found a post which said everything I wanted to say. It is repeated below but with different photos.

__________________________________________________________________________

The sorrows of our earthly world have been receiving an enormous amount of “press”. I, and I imagine every one of you reading this post also have some private sorrow, hurt or worry that feels overwhelming.

And, not that there is not a time for sadness or grief, but I believe that we are also called, by our Creator, to live with Joy and thankfulness, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Father Tim, a character in Jan Karon’s Mitford series, often said to himself or to one of his parishioners: “Phillipians 4:13 for pete’s sake!”

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength”

And earlier in Chapter 4:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Verses 5-7

Powerful stuff. When I feel like it is impossible to not be anxious, I hear Father Tim’s voice in my head: “Phillipians 4:13 for pete’s sake!”

And then a verse right smack dab in the middle of those above…

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. […] And the God of peace will be with you.“ Verse 9

I don’t need to look very far to find things that meet those conditions:

My choice on what to think on is these things and to lift all who have suffered loss and those who fear – in prayer to Him – who governs all.

Phillipian’s 4:13 for pete’s sake!

Last morning in May

We had a splendid three day weekend – a few chores, a lot of walks, some rain, some sun, naps – it was wonderful.

And it was cool. We enjoyed the cool … I kept telling myself to take in the cool. It is forecast to dry out and warm up for a week ending in the upper 80’s and perhaps a 90F.

Yikes.

But, this morning, this last morning in May – it was cool at 42F and perfect moisture from the bits of rain over the weekend.

The fuschia are happy.

The herbies are happy … Mr. Coleus is not doing that well and needs all good thoughts!

Yes, that says 54F INSIDE – I’m holding onto cool as long as possible.

Last morning in May.

Raspberry-Lemon Brioche Sweet Roll

Although, I made the sweet roll on Thursday morning, I saved half for this morning.

And as this Friday morning, the last work day before a three day weekend, started rainy and gray, I was very glad to have a bit of scrumptious sweet to start my day.

I keep portions of brioche dough in the freezer for this kind of sweet roll emergency! Many folks like puff pastry for this kind of roll, but I am not a fan of puff pastry: I like the flavor, but find that puff pastry is SO flaky that I always feel like I end up with more on me than in me.

The brioche dough bakes up with a flaky crumb that holds together. This particular batch is 1/2 white whole wheat plus a bit of pumpkin in the dough for tenderness and some extra nutritional value. The filling is goat cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar with some raspberries on top of the filling but under the dough, making for yummy bites of goodness that is not too, too messy!

Raspberry-Lemon Brioche Sweet Roll on a rainy morning.